Inle Lake is the new Biosphere Reserves

UNESCO has selected Inle Lake as one of the 20 additional destinations of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

Inle Lake is the first destination of Myanmar to be listed on the list.

As reported by the Myanmar Times, the decision was made by International Co-ordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme in Paris the week before.

MBA, which was established in 1970 by UNESCO, is an international governmental program. The program was set up with an aim to enhance the interaction between the nature and human.

l Biosphere reserves which are recommended by their own residents and designated by the UNESCO’s MBA programme reflect the reconciliation between the nature and human. There are additional reserves every year.

Currently, there are 651 destionations located in more than 120 countries.

Inle Lake biosphere reserve covers over 489,000 hectares. There are currently 43 species of turtles, clams and freshwater fish and 267 bird species including 82 types of wetland birds living in this lake. It is reported that the lake is the nesting place for the endangered Sarus crane.

The lake is an ideal illustration of how the locals change their lifestyle in order to protect the natural environment. Farmers of the Intha, one of the ethnic groups in the area are currently planting on floating island.

Inle Lake has already been an ASEAN heritage site for the diversity of ecosystems.

Visitors are advised to visit this beautiful freshwater lake in September and October. There are flights connecting Yangon and Mandalay. Heho, is the nearest airport to the lake, which is about 33 kilometers away.

Source: Myanmar tourism